The budget is down from last year, based partially on decreased proceeds from property taxes, under the New Jersey formula for municipal library funding.

The total includes $633,510 for library staff wages and benefits, and $176,391 in operating expenses. The latter encompass books and media ($50,511), building maintenance ($46,380), BCCLS affiliation costs ($34,400), an annual allocation paid to the borough ($20,000) and miscellaneous costs ($25,100).

Librarian Betsy Wald and Library Board President Vicki Fleiss outlined the leaner submission at a Jan. 27 finance committee budget session, while also updating recent program, service and outreach initiatives, and the organization's three-year strategic plan through 2015.

Under the state formula, the library receives .003 percent of the overall valuation of taxable property in the borough. Fleiss noted that the budget document reflects a roughly $11,000 decrease from $821,450 last year to the projected $809,901.

"We've put a lot into the effort to do more with less," she said, noting that the decrease was "our biggest hit since 2010."

Good news on the long-range financial front going forward was the long-awaited signing last year of the first-ever union contract covering library workers, she said. The six-year pact is effective from 2010 through 2015, with retroactive wage payments already covered by a deferred compensation account established by the board in anticipation of the eventual agreement, which took four years to negotiate and required arbitration.

The agreement contains no wage increases for the term of the contract, but includes a "wage opener" after 2014, allowing the union to renegotiate terms for the final year, Fleiss said. The pact includes 2 percent annual bonuses for 2012, 2013 and 2014, with lesser amounts for part-timers.

Fleiss said a major goal of negotiations was to address retirement and separation pay to control costs and ensure their predictability.

Library employees hired after Jan. 1, 2010 can now bank sick days for future use when needed, but will receive no financial compensation for remaining accrued days upon leaving employment or retiring.

For those hired before 2010, retirement payments were capped based on salary levels as of Dec. 31, 2011.

"We now know exactly the maximum amount we will ever have to pay an employee upon leaving. That was a huge goal for us, and we're very happy that we achieved it," Fleiss said.

The new contract also simplified paid leave policies, eliminating personal days in favor of sick days and vacation time only.

Pointing to the broadened scope of programming for all age groups in recent years, Wald cited workshops and discussions "to help patrons get into college, find a job, raise awareness of internet safety, negotiate Medicare and prepare healthy meals."

She reported that Sunday afternoon music programs have averaged some 40 attendees, weekly yoga classes continue drawing 20 per class, and monthly "hands-on" science programs for second graders are always at capacity. Nature-oriented family programs such as the recent "All About Owls" and "Butterfly" sessions also proved popular.